For anyone embarking on a plant-based start to the year, the Caramelised Veg & Macadamia Tacos (£7.50), are a vibrant new vegan option packed with flavour and goodness.
Soft corn tortillas are filled with organic Riverford roasted carrots, leeks and cherry tomatoes, then finished with a rich macadamia nut mole - made to a recipe from co-founder Thomasina Miers’ new book Mexican Table.
The veg-packed filling is naturally rich in prebiotics and pairs perfectly with the deeply satisfying mole that’s full-bodied yet balanced. Comforting, wholesome and great for keeping the winter chill at bay.
For those not going meat-free but who are still craving something nutritious and restorative, the Slow-Cooked Pork Pozole (£8.95) offers an ideal alternative. Inspired by the fare served up by the pozole stalls on the streets of Oaxaca, this take on a traditional Mexican soup sees a clear, slow-simmered bone broth studded with white corn kernels, tender shredded pork, lime-marinated cabbage, avocado and crisp radish.
Light, citrusy and gently spiced with hints of chilli and garlic, it’s deeply warming without feeling heavy - and full of nutritious goodness. Add an optional Three Cheese Quesadilla (+£4.00) on the side to mop up every mouthful of this marvellous new special.
Wahaca’s New Year specials don’t stop with just the food. The Mini Non-Alc Trio (£7.50) provides a playful way to sample three alcohol-free cocktails in mini taster serves: a refreshing Cucumber, Jalapeño & Basil Smash, a tropical Pineapple & Passion Fruit Picante, and a Blackberry Sour that brings a sumptuous sharpness to the table. Beer lovers who are cutting out the booze can opt for the Lucky Saint Michelada (£7.70), a bold, smoky, Mexican-style Bloody Mary topped with a 0.5% lager, served up with lime, a stick of celery and a lip-smacking Tajin rim.
And there’s a high-spirited new cocktail special that’s just the ticket for those skipping Dry January altogether. Raise a glass to the year ahead with the limited-edition Rhubarbarita (£9.95) which puts a superbly seasonal twist on the classic margarita, blending freshly juiced rhubarb with tequila, and finished with a playful rim of crushed rhubarb-and-custard sweets.
“Our new pozole is inspired by the one we fell in love with outside the 20 de Noviembre market in Oaxaca City”Wahaca co-founder Thomasina Miers told That's Food and and Dribk.
“Comforting, restorative and brimming with flavour, it feels like the natural recipe for our chefs to be cooking in the New Year when the weather is dark and inhospitable - the perfect dish to devour when coming in from the cold. For those avoiding meat they have their vegetable taco with its rich, brick-red macadamia nut mole, seasoned with mild guajillo chillies and warming spices for a plate that is deeply savoury yet completely plant-based. And to drink, a perfectly pink rhubarb margarita – full of sherbet fizz and rhubarb tang. Yes please!”
Find your nearest branch here https://www.wahaca.co.uk